Holders for razor blades

ABSTRACT

A holder for a razor blade of the kind which is secured in a permanent manner to a substantially rigid member, has a fixed projection or recess which, when the razor blade is located in the holder, engages a recess or projection of the rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain the fixed projection or recess in engagement with the recess or projection of the rigid member, the razor blade being released from the holder by pressure on the rigid member which, by reaction between the fixed projection or recess and the projection or recess of the rigid member, overcomes the retaining action of the resilient member.

United States Patent [191 Hood 1 HOLDERS FOR RAZOR BLADES [75] Inventor: Christopher J. Hood, Tolworth,

[2]] Appl. No.: 254,739

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 20, 1971 Great Britain 16059/71 [52] US. Cl 30/64, 30/85, 30/337 [51] Int. Cl B26b 21/16, B26b 5/00 [58] Field of Search 30/32, 40, 40.2, 47, 51,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1935 Hayhurst 30/51 6/!930 Schick 30/40 [111 3,815,227 June 11, 1974 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examinef-Gary L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann, Ltd. t

[57] ABSTRACT A holder for a razor blade of the kind which is secured in a permanent manner to a substantially rigid member, has a fixed projection or recess which, when the razor blade is located in the holder, engages a recess or projection of the rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain the fixed projection or recess in engagement with the recess or projection of the rigid member, the razor blade being released from the holder by pressure on the rigid member which, by reaction between the fixed projection or recess and the projection or recess of the rigid member, overcomes the retaining action of the resilient member.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HOLDERS FOR RAZOR BLADES This invention relates to shaving devices and more particularly to holders for razor blades which are secured in a permanent manner to a substantially rigid member. The rigid member preferably provides a guard surface located at a preset spacing from the cutting edge of the blade.

According to the present invention there is provided a holder for a razor blade which is secured in a permanent manner to a substantially rigid member, wherein said holder has a fixed projection or recess which, when said razor blade is located in said holder, engages a recess or projection of siad rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain said fixed projection or recess in engagement with the recess or projection of said rigid member, said razor blade being released from said holder by pressure on said rigid member which, by reaction between said fixed projection or recess and the projection or recess of said rigid member, overcomes the retaining action of said resilient member.

One construction of holder for razor blades in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rearview of this construction of holder with a razor blade in shaving position,

FIG. 2 is a side view of this construction of holder with a razor blade in shaving position,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the holder without a razor blade present,

FIG. 4 is a part-sectional front view of the upper part of the holder, without a razor blade present, and

FIG. 5 is a mid-sectional side view of the upper part of the holder with a razor blade in shaving position.

In the construction of holder shown in the drawings the rigid member is held in the holder 22, for example of plastic, on a seat 23 by a resilient metal cap 21 which may be of stainless steel. The rigid member 10 is located in position on the seat 23 by engagement with a fixed detent 23a upstanding from the seat 23, the detent 23a engaging in an aperture 10b in the underside of the rigid member 10.

The cap 21 extends downwardly at the rear of the holder 22 and is retained at its lower end by an inwardly directed tang 21a secured in the body of the holder 22. Towards its upper end the cap 21 has stops 24, 24 with outwardly directed tongues 24a, 24a which extend into recesses 22a, 22a in the body of the holder 22. The extent of forward and backward pivotal movement of the cap 21 is limited by engagement of the tongues 24a, 24a with the front face 22b, 22b and the rear face 22c, 22c of the recess 22a into which the respective tongue 24a extends.

To eject the razor blade the user applies pressure to the rear surface of the cap '21 so that the rear surface of the cap 21 tends to straighten thereby reducing the downward pressure of the top of the cap 21 on the rigid member 10. Furthermore, pressure is transmitted to the rear of the rigid member 10. Because of the reaction between the inclined surfaces of the detent 23a and the aperture 10b which are in contact with one another, the rigid member 10 lifts from the seat 23 against the reduced pressure of the top of the cap 21. The rigid member 10 is thus freed from engagement with the detent 23a and is ejected from the holder positively and rapidly due to the continuing pressure applied by the user to the rear of the cap 21.

Prior to use razor blades of the kind described above are normally stored in a container with the rear edge of the rigid member accessible. To pick up a new razor blade from the container the opening between the seat 23 and the cap 21 is presented to the rear edge of the rigid member 10. Engagement of the undersurface of the cap 21 with the rear edge of the rigid member causes the cap 21 to move away from the seat 23, as described above, the rigid member passing over the detent 23a, whereby the detent 23a can enter the aperture 10b to secure the rigid member 10 in position in the holder 22.

Although the holder has been shown with a projection on the seat 23 (namely the detent 23a) and a recess in the rigid member 10 (namely the aperture 10b), it will be readily apparent that, as an alternative, the recess could be in the seat 23 and the projection on the underside of the rigid member 10.

I claim:

1. A holder for a razor blade secured in a permanent manner to a substantially rigid member having a surface discontinuity therein which comprises a surface discontinuity in said holder shaped complementally to, and engaging when the rigid member and razor blade are in position for shaving, the surface discontinuity of said rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity in engagement when said razor blade is held by said holder for shaving, said resilient member being movable into engagement with said rigid member to apply pressure to said rigid member which, by reaction between said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity, overcomes the retaining action of said resilient member, the continued application of said pressure to said rigid member positively ejecting said razor blade from said holder.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein said resilient member comprises a metal cap and said holder has a seat whose surface has a discontinuity thereon which provides said holder discontinuity, said rigid member being sandwiched between said seat and the underside of said metal cap.

3. A holder according to claim 2, wherein said cap is pivotally connected to said holder.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a substantially rigid member having a surface discontinuity therein, a razor blade secured in a permanent manner to said rigid member, a holder having a surface discontinuity shaped complementally to, and engaging, the surface discontinuity of said rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity in engagement when said razor blade is held by saidholder for shaving, said resilient member being movable into engagement with said rigid member to apply pressure to said rigid member which, by reaction between said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity, overcomes the retaining action of said resilient member, the continued application of said pressure to said rigid member positively ejecting said razor blade from said holder. 

1. A holder for a razor blade secured in a permanent manner to a substantially rigid member having a surface discontinuity therein which comprises a surface discontinuity in said holder shaped complementally to, and engaging when the rigid member and razor blade are in position for shaving, the surface discontinuity of said rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity in engagement when said razor blade is held by said holder for shaving, said resilient member being movable into engagement with said rigid member to apply pressure to said rigid member which, by reaction between said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity, overcomes the retaining action of said resilient member, the continued application of said pressure to said rigid member positively ejecting said razor blade from said holder.
 2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein said resilient member comprises a metal cap and said holder has a seat whose surface has a discontinuity thereon which provides said holder discontinuity, said rigid member being sandwiched between said seat and the underside of said metal cap.
 3. A holder according to claim 2, wherein said cap is pivotally connected to said holder.
 4. An article of manufacture comprising a substantially rigid member having a surface discontinuity therein, a razor blade secured in a permanent manner to said rigid member, a holder having a surface discontinuity shaped complementally to, and engaging, the surface discontinuity of said rigid member, and a resilient member adapted normally to retain said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity in engagement when said razor blade is held by said holder for shaving, said resilient member being movable into engagement with said rigid member to apply pressure to said rigid member which, by reaction between said holder discontinuity and said rigid member discontinuity, overcomes the retaining action of said resilient member, the continued application of said pressure to said rigid member positively ejecting said razor blade from said holder. 